The Supervisor’s Guidebook: Evidence-Based Strategies for Promoting Work Quality and Enjoyment Among Human Service Staff

Description

This guidebook will show how supervisors can ensure support staff to deliver quality services for people with disabilities whose quality of life is heavily dependent on how well those services are provided. Supervisors must ensure staff receive necessary training in their job duties, are actively supported to stay motivated to work proficiently and, at times, effectively assisted to improve their work performance. Supervisors have to overcome many challenges to fulfill these critical duties, often involving frequent changes in their staff work force and varying or limited resources. Complicating the job of staff supervisors is a lack of formal training necessary to perform their supervisory duties effectively. When supervisors do receive training in how to supervise staff work performance, the training is not always very useful. The training is frequently too general to equip supervisors with knowledge and skills to affect staff work performance on a routine basis. The training also is commonly based on unproven means of promoting quality staff performance, stemming from current fads or ideology that has little if any hard evidence to support the training content. Over the last five decades, a technology for supervising staff work performance in the human services has been evolving, derived from applied research conducted in many human service agencies. However, most supervisors have not had opportunities to become aware of these evidence-based means of fulfilling their supervisory duties. The purpose of The Supervisors Guidebook is to describe the existing evidence-based approach to supervision. Description of the approach is supplemented with practical suggestions based on the authors combined experience encompassing over 100 years of supervising staff performance in the human services. The intent is to provide supervisors with detailed information about tried and tested means of promoting diligent and proficient staff performance and to do so in a way that maximizes staff enjoyment with their work. THE SUPERVISOR’S GUIDEBOOK ABOUT THE AUTHORS PREFACE ACKNOWLEDGMENTS CONTENTS Section I INTRODUCTION TO SUPERVISION Section II CRITICAL SUPERVISORY SKILLS Section III RESOLVING COMMON PERFORMANCE PROBLEMS Section IV SUPERVISING FROM A DISTANCE (TELEHEALTH) Section V SELECTED READINGS THE SUPERVISOR’S GUIDEBOOK Section I INTRODUCTION TO SUPERVISION Chapter 1 THE IMPORTANCE OF SUPERVISION WHAT IS SUPERVISION? SUCCESSFUL SUPERVISION INVOLVES PROMOTING STAFF WORK ENJOYMENT EVIDENCE-BASED SUPERVISION PURPOSE OF THE SUPERVISOR’S GUIDEBOOK INTENDED AUDIENCE OF THE SUPERVISOR’S GUIDEBOOK ORGANIZATION OF THE SUPERVISOR’S GUIDEBOOK CHAPTER SUMMARY: KEY POINTS Chapter 2 AN EVIDENCE-BASED PROTOCOL FOR SUPERVISING STAFF PERFORMANCE STEPS CONSTITUTING AN EVIDENCE-BASED APPROACH TO SUPERVISION Step 1: Identify Client Outcomes Step 2: Specify Staff Performance Step 3: Train Work Skills to Staff Step 4: Monitor Staff Performance Step 5: Support Proficient Staff Performance Step 6: Correct Nonproficient Staff Performance Step 7: Evaluate Staff Performance IMPLEMENTING STEPS OF THE SUPERVISORY PROTOCOL IN WAYS TO ENHANCE WORK ENJOYMENT A PRACTICAL CONCERN WITH EVIDENCE-BASED SUPERVISION CHAPTER SUMMARY: KEY POINTS Section II CRITICAL SUPERVISORY SKILLS Chapter 3 SPECIFYING STAFF WORK RESPONSIBILITIES THREE CRITERIA FOR SPECIFYING STAFF PERFORMANCE RESPONSIBILITIES Criterion 1: Performance Responsibilities Must be Described in Terms of Staff Work Behavior Criterion 2: Performance Responsibilities Must be Described in Terms of Work Behavior That Can be Directly Observed Criterion 3: Performance Responsibilities Must be Specified as Observable Work Behavior Such That People Agree When the Behavior Occurs STRATEGIES FOR SPECIFYING PERFORMANCE RESPONSIBILITIES Performance Checklists Work Activity Schedules SPECIFYING PERFORMANCE RESPONSIBILITIES IN WAYS ACCEPTABLE TO STAFF CHAPTER SUMMARY: KEY POINTS Chapter 4 TRAINING WORK SKILLS TO STAFF BASIC GOALS OF STAFF TRAINING BEHAVIORAL SKILLS TRAINING Training Step 1: Describe Target Skills to be Trained Training Step 2: Provide A Written Summary of the Target Skills Training Step 3: Demonstrate How to Perform the Target Skills Training Step 4: Trainee Practice with Supervisor Feedback Training Step 5: Repeat Step 4 Until Staff Perform The Target Skills Proficiently TWO MAIN FORMATS FOR TRAINING STAFF Training Staff in a Group Training Staff Individually GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS WHEN CONDUCTING BEHAVIORAL SKILLS TRAINING WITH STAFF Reducing Time and Effort to Conduct Behavioral Skills Training Ensure Staff Competence During Role-Play Activities. Use of Media-Based Training. Pyramidal Training. Making Training Acceptable to Staff A QUALIFICATION WITH STAFF TRAINING CHAPTER SUMMARY: KEY POINTS Chapter 5 MONITORING STAFF PERFORMANCE FORMAL MONITORING INFORMAL MONITORING SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS WITH MONITORING Staff Reactivity to Monitoring Overt Versus Covert Monitoring PROMOTING STAFF ACCEPTANCE OF PERFORMANCE MONITORING BY A SUPERVISOR Follow Specific Guidelines When Formally Monitoring Staff Performance Use a Participative Approach When Developing a Formal Monitoring System Ensure Personnel Who Observe for Supervisors Monitor in a Way Acceptable to Staff CHAPTER SUMMARY: KEY POINTS Chapter 6 SUPPORTING PROFICIENT WORK PERFORMANCE: POSITIVE FEEDBACK THE POWER OF POSITIVE FEEDBACK AN EVIDENCE-BASED PROTOCOL FOR PROVIDING FEEDBACK Step 1: Begin Feedback with A Positive or Empathetic Statement Step 2: Specify What Staff Performed Correctly Step 3: Specify What Staff Performed Incorrectly, If Applicable Step 4: Specify What Needs to be Done to Correct the Behavior Identified in Step 3 Step 5: Solicit Questions About the Information Provided Step 6: Inform Staff About Subsequent Supervisory Actions Step 7: End Feedback Session with a Positive or Empathetic Statement SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS WHEN USING THE EVIDENCE-BASED FEEDBACK PROTOCOL Feedback as a Unique Skill Providing Feedback in Difficult Situations with Staff Feedback Must Be Sincere Maintaining Privacy with Feedback A Reported Concern with the Feedback Protocol DIFFERENT WAYS OF PROVIDING FEEDBACK Informal Feedback Written Feedback Advantages of Written Feedback. Disadvantages of Written Feedback. Special Considerations with Providing Written Feedback. Individual Versus Group Feedback Publicly Posted Feedback Immediate Versus Delayed Feedback Outcome-Based Feedback Provide Feedback in Multiple Ways CHAPTER SUMMARY: KEY POINTS Chapter 7 SUPPORTING PROFICIENT WORK PERFORMANCE: SPECIAL RECOGNITION PROCEDURES SPECIAL RECOGNITION AWARDS Peer Awards Formal Staff Appreciation Events Performance Lotteries SPECIAL RECOGNITION ACTIONS Special Recognition Meetings Taking Home the Goods Receiving the Goods at Home Saying Good Things Behind the Back Stand-up Supervision Relief of Duty USING MONEY FOR SPECIAL RECOGNITION CHAPTER SUMMARY: KEY POINTS Chapter 8 CORRECTING NONPROFICIENT WORK PERFORMANCE PREREQUISITES FOR CORRECTIVE SUPERVISION A SERIOUS MISCONCEPTION ABOUT HOW TO CORRECT NONPROFICIENT PERFORMANCE COMMON REASONS FOR NONPROFICIENT STAFF PERFORMANCE AND SUPERVISOR CORRECTIVE ACTIONS Lack of Skills to Perform Job Duties Lack of Resources to Perform Job Duties Incapability of Performing Duties Lack of Motivation Providing Feedback to Overcome Insufficient Work Motivation. Disciplinary Action for Improving Nonproficient Staff Performance Due to Lack of Motivation. PERFORMANCE PROBLEMS DUE TO REASONS OUTSIDE OF THE WORK PLACE CHAPTER SUMMARY: KEY POINTS Chapter 9 PROMOTING STAFF WORK ENJOYMENT: MAKING DISLIKED WORK TASKS MORE ENJOYABLE TO PERFORM GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR MAKING WORK TASKS MORE ENJOYABLE FOR STAFF TO PERFORM AN EVIDENCE-BASED APPROACH FOR MAKING DISLIKED WORK TASKS MORE ENJOYABLE TO PERFORM: TEMP TEMP Step 1: Identify Reasons Staff Dislike Performing a Work Task TEMP Step 2: Identify Potential Ways to Alter the Work Task TEMP Step 3: Make as Many Identified Task Changes as Possible TEMP Step 4: Meet Again with Staff to Review Actions and Determine Additional Actions AN EXAMPLE OF HOW TEMP HAS BEEN USED TO MAKE A DISLIKED WORK TASK MORE ENJOYABLE TO PERFORM SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR ADDRESSING HIGHLY DISLIKED WORK TASKS Work-Task Dislike Due to Characteristics of Individual Clients Focus on Most Disliked Work Tasks Disliked Work Tasks That Cannot be Changed CHAPTER SUMMARY: KEY POINTS Section III RESOLVING COMMON PERFORMANCE PROBLEMS Chapter 10 RESOLVING COMMON PERFORMANCE PROBLEMS: OVERVIEW THE BASIC PREMISE OF SUPERVISOR ACCOUNTABILITY SUPERVISING IN DIFFICULT SITUATIONS Maintain Frequent Communication with Staff Stay Focused on Actively Supervising Staff Performance Supervisor Self-Motivation Establish a Work Goal. Achieve the Goal. Reinforce the Accomplishment. CHAPTER SUMMARY: KEY POINTS Chapter 11 REDUCING ABSENTEEISM REASONS FOR FREQUENT ABSENTEEISM SPECIFYING ACCEPTABLE AND UNACCEPTABLE ABSENTEEISM High-Frequency Absenteeism Predictable Absenteeism Extended Duration Absenteeism ABSENTEE-REDUCTION STRATEGIES Supporting Acceptable Work Attendance and Correcting Unacceptable Absenteeism Preventing Absentee Problems: Promoting Work Enjoyment as Part of Supervision. Group-Contingency Strategies. Absentee-Reduction Strategies with Individual Staff. TWO FINAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR REDUCING ABSENTEEISM The Importance of Flexibility with Absentee-Reduction Strategies Attending to Planned and Unplanned Absences CHAPTER SUMMARY: KEY POINTS Chapter 12 RESOLVING PROBLEMS WITH STAFF PROVISION OF CLIENT-TEACHING SERVICES IMPROVING FORMAL TEACHING SERVICES Improving Staff Proficiency in ConductingFormal Teaching Procedures Training Staff to Teach. Maintaining Staff Proficiency in Providing Formal Teaching Services Following Training. Ensuring Staff Conduct Formal Teaching as Often as Expected Motivating Staff to Conduct Teaching Sessions. PROMOTING NATURALISTIC TEACHING DURING ROUTINE ACTIVITIES Training Staff How to Teach During Routine Client Activities Ensuring Staff Perform Naturalistic Teaching After Receiving Training SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR OVERCOMING PERFORMANCE PROBLEMS WITH TEACHING SERVICES Resolving Problems with Data Collection and Documentation Problematic Issues with Treatment Services for Challenging Behavior CHAPTER SUMMARY: KEY POINTS Chapter 13 REDUCING FREQUENT NONWORK BEHAVIOR SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS IN APPLYING CERTAIN STEPS OF EVIDENCE-BASED SUPERVISION TO REDUCE NONWORK BEHAVIOR Specifying Performance Expectations with Activity Schedules The Critical Role of Supervisor Monitoring in Preventing and Decreasing Nonwork Behavior Focusing Positive Feedback on Desired Work Behavior GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR REDUCING FREQUENT NONWORK BEHAVIOR Reasonable Goals for Nonwork Behavior Supervisor Flexibility in Addressing Nonwork Behavior in Certain Situations Nonwork Behavior Following Challenging Situations. Consideration of Staff Break Times. Consideration of Exceptions to Typically Diligent Work. Reducing Subtle Types of Frequent Nonwork Behavior CHAPTER SUMMARY: KEY POINTS Section IV SUPERVISING FROM A DISTANCE (TELEHEALTH) Chapter 14 SUPERVISING FROM A DISTANCE WITH TELEHEALTH SUPERVISION VIA TELEHEALTH: AN OVERVIEW Ways of Providing Supervision via Telehealth Required Resources for Providing Supervision via Telehealth Skills for Supervising with Telehealth Ethical Requirements for Using Telehealth TELEHEALTH SPECIFICALLY FOR IMPLEMENTING EVIDENCE-BASED SUPERVISORY PROCEDURES FROM A DISTANCE Training Staff Through Telehealth Monitoring Staff Performance Through Telehealth Logistical and Technical Issues with Distance Monitoring. Effectiveness Issues with Distance Monitoring. Staff Acceptability Issues with Distance Monitoring. Supporting Staff Performance Through Telehealth Correcting Staff Performance Through Telehealth CHAPTER SUMMARY: KEY POINTS Section V SELECTED READINGS SELECTED READINGS TRAINING STAFF TO TEACH PEOPLE WITH INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES TRAINING OTHER WORK SKILLS TO STAFF IMPROVING AND MAINTAINING ONGOING AREAS OF STAFF PERFORMANCE (VARYING JOB DUTIES) PROMOTING SUPPORTIVE SOCIAL INTERACTIONS WITH CLIENTS PROMOTING TREATMENT SERVICES SPECIFIC TO GROUPS OF CLIENTS PROMOTING QUALITY PERSONAL CARE AND SUPPORT FOR CLIENTS PROMOTING QUALITY DATA COLLECTION AND RECORDKEEPING BY STAFF PREVENTING AND REDUCING ABSENTEEISM PROMOTING WORK ENJOYMENT DISTANCE SUPERVISION THROUGH TELEHEALTH REVIEW AND DISCUSSION PAPERS RELATED TO EVIDENCE-BASED SUPERVISION BOOKS RELATED TO EVIDENCE-BASED SUPERVISION TRAINING CURRICULA FOR SUPERVISORS INDEX